Flashlight apparatus



P. OLDS 2,205,860

FLASHLI GHT APPARATUS Filed Sept. 29, 1939 INVENTOR gig/44m -ATTORNEY.

Patented June 25, 1940 UNITED s'ras TENT orrics FLASHLIGHT APPARATUSPhelps Olds, Little Neck, N. Y. Application September 29,1929, SerialNo. 297,042

14 Claims.

, rapher to travel from place to place and make the necessary exposuresamidst surroundings selected by the subject.

When taking a portrait with the aid of an electric flashlight bulb, withordinary reflectors as now commonly used, the concentration of the lightof the lamp results in the production of a negative in which there istoo great a contrast between the highlights and the deeper tones, orthere are what is known amongst photographers as hot spots. Thiscondition results in harshness in prints made from the negative andconditions which cannot be corrected even by skillful re-touching.

Apparatus made in accordance with my invention is so constructed as tonot only be capable of being disassembled and collapsed so as to bereadily portable, but the reflector is so constructed as to utilize ahigh percentage of the light rays from a flash bulb and so direct themtoward a subject as to effectively illuminate all parts of the subjectin a manner to avoid excessive contrast between the highlights and thedeeper tones, or the presence of hot spots in the negative.

The apparatus is so 'constructed that no direct light rays from thesource of light, an ordinary flash bulb, are directed upon the subject,although the construction is such as to utilize such rays in the makingof a negative. Glare visible to the subject is avoided, not only by theconcealing of the flash bulb from the subject, but by using a reflectingsurface which is so broken up as to minimize glare from this surfacewhile utilizing a high percentage of the light rays emanating from theflash bulb.

To secure the desired application of light to the subject, a large mainreflector is required, and to make the apparatus portable, lightness andcollaipsibility of the structure of this reflector are essential. Theconstruction must be such as to permit the convenient and rapiddistention of the reflector and the assembly of the entire apparatus,and the various parts must :be light in weight, and capable, whencollapsed, of being brought within small compass.

By using a reflecting surface upon the main reflector which is broken upor made irregular, excessive glare is not only avoided, 'but a sort ofstippled or half-tone effect is secured in the negative by the varyingintensity of the light rays projected from different parts of thereflector.

The invention consists primarily in flashlight apparatus embodyingtherein a collapsible frame, a covering of flexible material for saidframe, having upon one face thereof a reflecting surface, means engagingsaid collapsible frame adjacent said reflecting surface, a support forsaid means passing through said reflecting surface, whereby said framemay be collapsed or distended, means whereby said support may be securedin relation to said frame, and a lamp socket carried by said supportwithin and ad-- V jacent the reflecting surface of said flexiblecovering adjacent said first named means; and in such other novelfeatures of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter setforth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claimshereto appended.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is an assembled perspective view of apparatus embodying theinvention; 0

Fig. 2 is a front View of the collapsiblereflector structure;

Fig. 3 is a view showing said structure upon a larger scale in verticalsection;

Fig. 4 is a view of the reflector proper, colla sed; and

Fig. 5 is a view showing a reflector structure having a difierent formfrom that shown ,in Figs. 1 to 3.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, -a tripod standll], having a telescopic standard as shown, is employed. This stand isold and well known and is used for various purposes where adjustabilityfor height is desired.

The upper part of the stand has a collar II in which a rigid supportingtube I2 carrying conductor wires may be mounted and held by means of athumb screw, as shown in the drawing, or in any other desired manner.Adjacent one end of this tube is an enlarged portion or sleeve i3, andat the other end thereof is an ordinary electrical plug fitting M.

The reflector proper embodies therein a frame composed of a plurality ofresilient or spring ribs H: which may be of any desired length, or mayvary in length according to the size and form of the reflector desired.In actual practice, I have used ribs of about twenty-four inches inlength,

since such ribs, when distended, form a reflector, the open end of whichwill be approximately thirty-six inches. Dimensions, however, are notcritical.

The frame formed by the ribs l5 has a cover l6 of flexible material,such as fabric, secured to the several ribs in any desired manner, sothat with movement of these ribs in a manner to be hereinafterdescribed, said cover will be drawn taut between, and restrain theflexure of, said ribs in a manner to give the desired dished form to thereflector. The ribs may be upon either the inside or the outside of thecover, since the function of these ribs is purely a mechanical one incausing the distention of the reflector and in permitting it to becollapsed.

One face of the flexible cover it is provided with a flexible reflectingmedium. A bright metal foil is suitable for this purpose. When the ribsare on the inside, if desired they also may be covered with the samematerial, or may be coated with a reflecting enamel, although the lightlosses due to the presence of these ribs, even though they benon-reflecting, would not be appreciable in the operation of theapparatus.

The various ribs I5 are pivotally mounted in any desired manner upon aflange ll carried by a sleeve l8 of an inside diameter to receive thesleeve I3 carried by the tube [2, to which it may be clamped by a thumbscrew l9 when assembling the structure.

The end of the tube 12 adjacent the sleeve i3 is provided with anordinary electric lamp socket 20 having a flange Z I. The flash bulbproper is shown at 22.

Loosely mounted upon the socket 20 is a plate 23 which, in the form ofthe invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, is a circular plate having a convexsurface presented toward the flange 2!. This plate has an openingtherethrough and said flange engages the plate about this opening. Thesize of this opening is such as to permit the passage therethrough ofthe sleeve l3. 7

The configuration of the main reflector is determined by the size andform of this plate 23. The larger the diameter of the plate the smallerwill be the front opening of the reflector and the flatter will be thedished portion thereof rearwardly of the flash bulb. Furthermore, with alarger plate, the depth of the reflector will be lessened.

Preferably the convex surface of the plate 23 is provided with a brightreflecting coating, either of metal foil or enamel, so that light raysdirected thereon from the bulb will be reflected upon the inner face ofthe main reflector.

To intercept the direct rays from the flash bulb, I provide a cap 24provided with spring clips, as 25, adapted to engage the flash bulb. Theconvex face of this cap, presented towards the bulb, is also providedwith a reflecting surface, so that light rays directed upon this capwill be reflected backwardly of the reflector structure, against eitherthe plate 23 or the portion iii of the main reflector.

The construction of the reflector shown in Fig. 5 differs from thatheretofore described in the respects that'the various resilient ribs 256are of different lengths and the flexible gores of which the flexiblecover is made, instead of being symmetrical as shown in Figs. 1 to 3,vary in form as shown, so that when the ribs are distended, thereflector will have the desired form.

In Fig. 5, the covering 21, which corresponds in. constructionwith thecovering H3, is so formed as the cap 24, or have any desired form whichwill interrupt the light rays extending forwardly from the lamp bulb andreflect these rays backwardly upon the plate 28 or the inner face of themain reflector.

Whatever the general form ,of the reflector, when the ribs aredistended, and this form may be varied indefinitely, no light rays willbe projected upon a subject directly from the bulb, thus avoiding hotspots in the negative or prints therefrom.

Irrespective of the form of the main reflector, it is made of flexiblematerial built up from gores of the desired shape to give to the mainreflctor, when in use, the desired form. These gores may be united bystitching, cementing or in any other desired manner, and the outer endsof the ribs may be secured thereto by forming a hem about the portion ofthe material at the'free edge of the reflector, having pockets thereinfor the reception of the ends of the ribs. The portion of the coverabout the flange ll may be sewed or otherwise secured thereto in anydesired manner.

The reflecting surface of the cover 16 is applied thereto beforeattachment of this cover to the ribs it. While this reflectingsurfacemay be perfectly smooth when first applied to the material of the cover,it will, during the assembly operation and repeated flexure of thematerial of the cover, become irregularly creased or crinkled so as toform a multitude of distinct adjacent reflecting surfaces, separated bycreases. This crinkled effect in the reflecting surface of the coveringit destroys or minimizes glare from the flash bulb, and yet theaggregate of the reflected portions is sufiiciently great to utilize avery high percentage of the light rays from the lamp.

The operation of flashlight apparatus embodying the invention issubstantially as follows:

When it is necessary to transport the device, the tube I2 is removedwith the sleeve l3, the set screw l9 being released, so that the saidtube and the sleeve 53 carried thereby may slide freely through thesleeve l8, and this sleeve and the plate 23 or 28 removed from operativerelation to the main reflector.

When this is done, the resiliency inherent to the ribs l5 will causethese ribs to straighten themselves, so that the reflector as a wholemay be collapsed, the flexible covering material I6 assuming folds, asshown in Fig. 4, in much the same manner as the cover of an ordinaryumbrella. Before collapsing the main reflector, the spent flash bulb 22is removed from the socket 20 and the cap 24 removed from the .bulb. Theplate 23 is then removed from the socket M in the tube [2 so that thecap 24 and the plate 23 may be separately packed.

The main reflector possesses but little more weight than an ordinaryumbrella, and'the port and 28, and the length of these parts, aresuchthat they may be readily packed in an ordinary suitcase fortransportation purposes;

When assembling the device, the plate 23 is first mounted upon thesocket 20 and the tube and sleeve I3 are passed throughthe sleeve 58,the ribs l5 being moved outwardly to permit the insertion of this plate.The tube I2 is then drawn rearwardly, the engagement of the edge of theplate 23 with the various ribs l5 forcing the ribs outwardly of the axisof the tube l2, which outward movement, when restrained by the coveringmaterial l6, will flex the ribs in a manner to impart the desired shapeto the reflector. The tube l2, when the ribs have been thus distendedand flexed, is locked in relation to the sleeve l8 by the thumb screw l9acting on the sleeve I3.

Notwithstanding that the entire structure weighs only a few pounds, areflector is provided which may have a spread of thirty or forty inchesor more, which size reflector is highly desirable, particularly forportraiture work.

When the tinsel of the flash bulb is ignited, the light rays emanatingtherefrom will not be con centrated upon any particular spot of thesubject. These light rays will be distributed throughout an area anddirected at angles which will modify all shadows and modulate thehighlight effects while still preserving contrasts resulting in a highlyeffective photograph. There will be no hot spot.

The crinkled or stippled effect in the reflector aids in securing thismodulation of the light tints in the negative in a manner similar to thebreaking up of shadows in the production of an engrayed plate byhalf-tone methods.

The absence of glare, due in part to the control of the light rays bythe reflector mechanism, also contributes largely toward the quality of,and effects secured in, the negative.

It is obvious that the rays directed forwardly of the bulb will bereflected against the plate 23, and that many of the rays will bereflected back and forth between said cap and said plate, andultimatelybe directed against the inner face of this covering. The angle ofprojection of these rays in relation to the subject-will reduce thecontrasts in the manner above described and thus soften the wholenegative.

The shape of the reflector may be varied greatly without sacrificing theabove characteristics.

I have found that repeated collapsing of the main reflector does notimpair its efficiency and ensures the crinkled or stippled effect abovereferred to.

' It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise detailsof construction shown in the accompanying drawing, it being apparentthat such may be varied while still preserving the essentialcharacteristics of the apparatus.

The scale of the drawing is so small as to merely indicate the actualconditions, since in a full-size device, the number and irregularity ofthe reflecting surfaces, due to the crinkling of the surface of thecover 16, will vary in different portions of the cover and in differentreflectors. The general effect secured, however, is the same.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desired to haveprotected by Letters Patent, is:

1. Flashlightapparatus embodying therein a collapsible frame, a coveringof flexible material for said frame having upon one face thereof areflecting surface, means engaging said collapsible frame adjacent saidreflecting surface, a support for said means passing through saidreflecting surface whereby said frame may be collapsed or distended,means whereby said support may be secured in relation to said frame,anda lamp socket carried by said support within and adjacent thereflecting surface of said flexible covering adjacent said first namedmeans.

2. Flashlight apparatus embodying therein a collapsible frame, acovering of flexible material for said frame having upon one facethereof a crinkled reflecting surface, means engaging said collapsibleframe adjacent said reflecting surface, a support for said means passingthrough said reflecting surface whereby said frame may be collapsed ordistended, means whereby said support may be secured in relation to saidframe, and a lamp socket carried by said support within and adjacent thereflecting surface of said flexible covering adjacent said first namedmeans.

3. Flashlight apparatus embodying therein a collapsible frame comprisinga plurality of ribs, means pivotally supporting said ribs at one endthereof, a covering of flexible material secured to said ribs limitingpivotal movement of said ribs when distending the frame, said flexiblematerial having a reflecting surface, a plate, a

support for said plate adapted to pass through the means pivotallysupporting said ribs, whereby said plate is adapted to be movablymounted in relation to said means supporting said ribs, locking meanspreventing relative movement of said plate and said means, and a lampsocket carried by said support and positioned forwardly of said plateand adjacent the reflecting surface of said flexible covering.

4. Flashlight apparatus embodying therein a collapsible frame comprisinga plurality of ribs, means pivotally supporting said ribs at one endthereof, a covering of flexible material secured to said ribs limitingpivotal movement of said ribs when distending the frame, said flexiblematerial having a crinkled reflecting surface, a plate, a support forsaid plate adapted to pass through the means pivotally supporting saidribs, whereby said plate is adapted to be movably mounted in relation tosaid means supporting said ribs, locking means preventing relativemovement of said plate and said means, and a lamp socket carried by saidsupport and positioned forwardly of said plate and adjacent thereflecting surface of said flexible covering.

5. Flashlight apparatus embodying therein a collapsible frame, acovering of flexible material for said frame having upon one facethereof a reflecting surface, means engaging said collapsible frameadjacent said reflecting surface, a support for said means passingthrough said reflecting surface whereby said frame may be collapsed ordistended, means whereby said support may be secured in relation to saidframe, a lamp socket carried by said support within and adjacent thereflecting surface of said flexible covering adjacent said first namedmeans, a cap, and means whereby said cap may be mounted upon a flashbulb in said socket so as to be positioned between said bulb and thesubject to be photographed.

6. Flashlight apparatus embodying therein a collapsible frame comprisingaplurality of ribs,

means pivotally supporting said ribs at one end thereof, a covering offlexible material secured to said ribs limiting pivotal movement of saidribs When distending the frame, said flexible material having a crinkledreflecting surface, a plate, a support for said plate adapted to passthrough the means pivotally supporting said ribs, whereby said plate isadapted to be movably mounted in relation to said means supporting saidribs, looking means preventing relative movement of said plate and saidmeans, a lamp socket carried by said support and positioned forwardly ofsaid plate and adjacent the reflecting surface of said flexiblecovering, a cap, and means whereby said cap may be mounted upon a flashbulb insaid socket so as to be positioned between said bulb and thesubject to be photographed.

. '7. Flashlight apparatus embodying therein a collapsible framecomprising a flanged sleeve, a plurality of resilient ribs pivotallymounted thereon, a covering of flexible material secured to said ribslimiting pivotal movement and flexure of said ribs when distending theframe, said flexible material having a reflecting surface, a tubeadapted to pass through said sleeve, a plate adapted to be removablymounted upon said tube in engaging relation with said ribs, lockingmeans carried by said sleeve engageable with said tube, and a lampsocket carried by said tube adjacent said plate and the reflectingsurface of said flexible covering.

- 8. Flashlight apparatus embodying therein a collapsible framecomprising a flanged sleeve, a plurality of resilient ribs pivotallymounted thereon, a covering of flexible material secured to said ribslimiting pivotal movement and flexure of said ribs when distending theframe, said flexible material having a crinkled reflecting surface, atube adapted to pass through said sleeve, 2. plate adapted to beremovably mounted upon said tube in engaging relation with said ribs,locking means carried by said sleeve engageable with said tube, and alamp socket carried by said tube adjacent said plate and the reflectingsurface of said flexible covering.

9. Flashlight apparatus embodying therein a collapsible frame comprisinga flanged sleeve, a plurality of resilient ribs pivotally mountedthereon, a covering of flexible material secured to said ribs limitingpivotal movement and flexure of said ribs when distending. the frame,said flexible material having a reflecting surface, a tube adapted topass through said sleeve, a plate having a convex reflecting surfaceadapted to be removably mounted upon said tube in engaging relation withsaid ribs, locking means carried by said sleeve engageable with saidtube, and a lamp socket carried by said tube adjacent the convexreflecting surface of said plate and the reflecting surface of saidflexible covering.

10. Flashlight apparatus embodying therein a collapsible framecomprising a flanged sleeve, a plurality of resilient ribs pivotallymounted thereon, a covering of flexible material secured to said ribslimiting pivotal movement and flexure of said ribs when distending theframe, said flexible material having a reflecting surface, a tubeadapted to pass through said sleeve, a plate having a convex reflectingsurface adapted to be removably mounted upon said tube in engagingrelation with said ribs, locking means carried by said sleeve engageablewith said tube, a lamp socket carried by said tube adjacent the convexreflecting surface of said plate and the reflecting surface of saidflexible covering, a cap having a convex reflecting surface presentedtowards the convex surface of said plate, and means whereby said cap maybe mounted upon a flash bulb in said socket so as to be positionedbetween said bulb and the subject to be photographed.

11. Flashlight apparatus embodying therein a collapsible framecomprising a flanged sleeve, a plurality of resilient ribs pivotallymounted thereon, a covering of flexiblematerial secured to said ribslimiting pivotal movement and flexure of said ribs when distending theframe, said flexible material having a crinkled reflecting surface, atube adapted to pass through said sleeve, a plate having a convexreflecting surface adapted to be removably mounted upon said tube inengaging relation with said ribs, locking means carried by said sleeveengageable with said tube, a lamp socket carried by said tube adjacentthe convex reflecting surface of said plate and the reflecting surfaceof said flexible covering, a cap having a convex reflecting surfacepresented towards the convex surface of saidiplate, and means wherebysaid cap may be mounted upon a flash bulb in said socket so as to bepositioned between said bulb and the subject to be photographed.

12. Flashlight apparatus embodying therein a collapsible frame, acovering of flexible material for said frame, a coating of bright,crinkled, metal foil upon one face of said material, means engagfingsaid collapsible frame adjacent the metal foil coated surface thereof, asupport for said means passing through the covering for said framewhereby said frame may be collapsed or distended, means whereby saidsupport may be secured in relation to said frame, and a lamp socketcarried by said support within and adjacent the metal foil coating ofsaid flexible covering adjacent said first named means.

13. Flashlight apparatus embodying therein a collapsible framecomprising a flanged sleeve, a plurality of resilient ribs pivotallymounted thereon, a covering of flexible material secured to said ribslimiting pivotal movement and flexure of said ribs when distending theframe, said flexible material having a coating of bright, crinkled,metal foil upon one face thereof, a tube adapted to pass through saidsleeve, a plate having a convex reflecting surface adapted to beremovably mounted upon said tube in engaging relation with said ribs,locking means carried by said sleeve engageable with said tube, and alamp socket carried by said tube adjacent the convex reflecting surfaceof said plate and the metal foil coating of said flexible covering.

14. Flashlight apparatus embodying therein a collapsible framecomprising a flanged sleeve,

a plurality of resilient ribs pivotally mounted thereon, a covering offlexible material secured to said ribs limiting pivotal movement andi'lexure of said ribs when distending the frame, said flexible materialhaving a coating of bright, crinkled, metal foil upon one face thereof,a tube adapted to pass through said sleeve, a plate having a convexreflecting surface adapted to be removably mounted upon said tube inengaging relation with said ribs, locking means carried by said sleeveengageable with said tube, a lamp socket carried by said tube adjacentthe convex reflecting surface of said plate and the metal foil coatingof said flexible covering, a cap having a convex reflecting surfacepresented to- Wards the convex surface of said plate,'and meanswherebysaid cap may be mounted upon a flash bulb in said socket so as tobe positioned between said bulb and the subject to be photographed.

PHELPS OLDS.

